FENCE RULES – NOLENSVILLE (TOWN), TENNESSEE

OVERVIEW

Residential fences are permitted on private property within Town of Nolensville, subject to local regulations. For properties located outside Town of Nolensville municipal limits, Williamson County regulates fences in unincorporated areas.

Local fence rules appear primarily in the Nolensville, Tennessee Zoning Ordinance, especially Article 4, Section 4.3.6 and the district standards in Tables 4.3.1-A through 4.3.1-L. Permit context comes from the Town of Nolensville Building Codes Department, the Building Codes FAQ, the Town’s adopted 2024 International Residential Code, and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal residential jurisdiction materials. Additional site-condition rules may appear in the Subdivision Regulations, Storm Water Regulations, Design Review Manual, right-of-way permit materials, and historic overlay procedures.

This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction’s adopted materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one.

Compiled From Town of Nolensville Zoning Ordinance, Article 4: Building, Lot & Building Site Standards, Building Codes Department materials, Building Codes FAQ, Applications and Permit Forms, Town of Nolensville Subdivision Regulations, Storm Water Regulations, Design Review Manual, Tennessee State Fire Marshal Residential Jurisdictions & Inspectors, and adopted-code materials as of May 2026.

GOVERNANCE

The Town of Nolensville Board of Commissioners is the governing body for the Town’s adopted ordinances. The Zoning Administrator administers the Zoning Ordinance, including district standards, development-plan requirements, zoning interpretations, and applicable enforcement procedures.

The Building Codes Department administers building permits and code inspections. Town materials state that the Town has adopted the 2024 International Code Council I-Codes, including the 2024 International Residential Code for residential work.

The Tennessee State Fire Marshal residential jurisdiction list identifies Nolensville as EXEMPT for Tennessee residential building-code enforcement. This indicates local residential building-code administration; it is not the same as an OPT OUT or SRBP jurisdiction.

The Town does not publish a single standalone fence code. Fence requirements are distributed across the Zoning Ordinance district tables, the fence and wall standards in Article 4, visibility and encroachment rules, historic-overlay review procedures, subdivision and plat materials, stormwater and stream-buffer regulations, and permit materials administered by the Building Codes Department, Planning Department, Town Engineer, Town Planner, and Historic Zoning Commission where applicable.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

• Building-Code Permit Context: Town of Nolensville is listed as EXEMPT for Tennessee residential building-code enforcement, indicating local residential building-code administration. The locally adopted 2024 International Residential Code includes a building-permit exemption for fences not over 7 feet high. Town of Nolensville does not publish a separate local fence permit requirement for standard residential fences.

• Zoning Compliance: Building-code permit exemptions are separate from zoning, setback, or plat requirements. Confirm any applicable zoning conditions, setbacks, plat requirements, and permit requirements with the Zoning Administrator before construction.

• Historic District / Historic Overlay Review: Where a property is within a designated Historic District or Historic Overlay District, the code requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before construction, alteration, demolition, or removal affecting the exterior architectural appearance of a structure or other property within the district. A building or demolition permit affecting exterior architectural appearance is not issued until the Historic Zoning Commission issues the Certificate of Appropriateness.

• Stormwater, Grading, and Stream-Buffer Context: The Storm Water Regulations and subdivision materials apply to development, redevelopment, grading, construction plans, floodplain areas, stream buffers, and stormwater infrastructure. The Town does not publish a fence-specific stormwater permit trigger for an ordinary residential fence, but fence work that is part of development, grading, land disturbance, stream-buffer work, or stormwater-infrastructure work may fall under those separate review systems.

• Right-of-Way and Road-Cut Context: The Town publishes Road Cut / ROW permit materials through the Engineering section of its permit page. The Zoning Ordinance does not justify encroachment of a structure into a right-of-way, Thoroughfare, Internal Drive, recorded plat line, Development Plan line, or Building Plan line.

• Pool Context: The Town publishes residential and commercial swimming pool permit materials and adopts the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, but the local fence materials reviewed do not publish a separate fence-specific private residential pool-barrier rule for ordinary backyard fence placement.

FENCE PLACEMENT RULES

• District Placement: Section 4.3.6 states that within each district, fences and non-building walls must comply with the applicable district standards in Tables 4.3.1-A through 4.3.1-L.

• Required Setbacks and Yards: Table 4.3.10 allows fences, hedges, walls, shrubbery, and other landscape features in front/street, side, and rear required setbacks and yards, subject to applicable sight-triangle requirements.

• Property Lines and Easements: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements.

• Rights-of-Way and Approved Plans: The Zoning Ordinance does not treat any ordinance provision as permission to encroach within a right-of-way, Thoroughfare, Internal Drive line, recorded plat line, Development Plan line, or Building Plan line.

• Corner-Lot Visibility: On a corner lot or building site, no fence, wall, hedge, structure, or planting more than 3 feet high, measured above curb level, may be placed or maintained within the triangular area formed by the intersecting curb lines and a line drawn between points 25 feet from the intersection.

• Driveway Visibility: For any driveway, no fence, wall, hedge, structure, or planting more than 3 feet high, measured above curb level, may be placed or maintained within the triangular area on each side of the driveway formed by a line drawn from a point 10 feet from the back of curb and extending 10 feet to its point of intersection with the Thoroughfare.

• Retaining Walls: The district tables allow retaining walls within required yards under Section 4.3.10. In the residential character districts where stated, a retaining wall supporting grade 8 feet or higher than the grade at the property line must be set back 10 feet from the property line.

• Stream Buffers and Floodplain Areas: Subdivision and stormwater materials require floodplain, floodway, wetland, stream-buffer, drainage, and easement information in development and subdivision contexts. Stream-buffer areas are subject to separate stormwater controls, including restrictions on clearing, grading, construction, and disturbance except as permitted through the Town’s engineering review process.

• Utility Safety: Tennessee law requires notice through Tennessee 811 before excavation where the Tennessee Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act applies. For fence projects that involve digging, including fence post holes, notice generally must be given at least 3 full working days before excavation begins.

FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES

• CD-2L and CD-2 Districts: In the Rural – Large Character District and Rural Character District, walls and fencing are limited to 4 feet maximum at Frontage and 6 feet maximum otherwise.

• CD-3L and CD-3 Districts: In the Neighborhood – Large Character District and Neighborhood Character District, walls and fencing are limited to 3 feet maximum at Frontage and 6 feet maximum otherwise.

• CD-4, CD-4C, and CD-4HV Districts: In the Neighborhood Center Character District, Neighborhood Corridor Character District, and Historic Village Character District, walls and fencing are limited to 3.5 to 4 feet at Frontage and 6 feet maximum otherwise.

• Residential Hamlet Context: The Residential Hamlet Character District assigns portions of a development parcel to CD-1, CD-2, CD-3, and CD-4 character districts. Fence height depends on the assigned character district standards.

• Civic District Context: In the Civic District, walls and fencing are limited to 3.5 to 4 feet maximum at Frontage and 6 feet maximum otherwise.

• Measurement: Where the district tables specify a height standard, fence and wall height is measured from the average undisturbed grade of adjacent property at the property line.

• Sight-Triangle Limit: In corner and driveway visibility areas, the applicable height limit is 3 feet, measured above curb level, for fences, walls, hedges, structures, and plantings within the defined sight triangles.

• Building-Code Exemption Is Not a Zoning Height Limit: The 7-foot building-code permit exemption for fences not over 7 feet high is a building-permit exemption. It is not published as a local zoning maximum height and does not replace the district-based fence and wall height limits.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS

• Finished-Side Orientation: In the district tables where fence construction is regulated, the finished side must face the adjacent property, Thoroughfare, Path, Passage, or Waterbody.

• Maintenance: In the district tables where fence maintenance is regulated, fences and walls must be well-maintained, in upright condition, and free of missing or broken parts and graffiti.

• CD-2L, CD-2, CD-3L, and CD-3 Materials: In these residential character districts, natural wood, brick, natural stone, stucco over masonry, wrought iron, and aluminum are permitted fence or wall materials. Chain link, barbed / razor / concertina wire, exposed or painted aggregate concrete, vinyl, and smooth or split-faced block are not permitted.

• CD-4, CD-4C, and CD-4HV Materials: In these districts, natural wood is permitted only as picket type at Frontage, with other natural-wood types allowed on the sides and rear. Brick, natural stone, stucco over masonry, wrought iron, and aluminum are permitted. Chain link, barbed / razor / concertina wire, exposed or painted aggregate concrete, vinyl, and smooth or split-faced block are not permitted.

• Civic District Materials: In the Civic District, natural wood is permitted only as picket type at Frontage, with other natural-wood types allowed on the sides and rear. Vinyl is permitted only in the 3rd Layer. Chain link, barbed / razor / concertina wire, exposed or painted aggregate concrete, and smooth or split-faced block are not permitted.

• Pedestrian Connections: In the district tables where the standard is stated, pedestrian connections through to adjacent neighborhoods or uses are required.

• Electric Fences: The code does not specify a standard for electric fences as ordinary single-family residential fencing.

PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS

Private restrictions operate independently from Town fence rules. These may include HOA covenants, subdivision restrictions, deed restrictions, architectural-review covenants, private easements, drainage easements, utility easements, agricultural agreements, or private boundary agreements.

Where private restrictions are more restrictive than Town standards, the private restriction may control as a private matter. The subdivision regulations state that private provisions exceeding Town standards are private contracts beyond the jurisdiction of the Planning Commission.

REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT

Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:

• Whether the property is in CD-2L, CD-2, CD-3L, CD-3, CD-4, CD-4C, CD-4HV, CD-RH, CV, or another district with different fence and wall standards.

• Whether the fence is within a Frontage area subject to a lower height limit.

• Whether a fence, wall, hedge, structure, or planting obstructs a 25-foot corner sight triangle or 10-foot driveway sight triangle.

• Whether the fence complies with the applicable material limits, finished-side orientation rule, and maintenance standards.

• Whether the fence encroaches into a right-of-way, recorded plat line, easement, Thoroughfare, Internal Drive line, Development Plan line, or Building Plan line.

• Whether the property is within a Historic District or Historic Overlay District where a Certificate of Appropriateness is required before exterior work affecting exterior architectural appearance.

• Whether the project involves grading, land disturbance, stormwater infrastructure, stream-buffer areas, floodplain areas, or subdivision/development plan review.

• Whether the only building-code issue is the 2024 IRC building-permit exemption for fences not over 7 feet high, which does not replace local zoning height, visibility, material, placement, or private-restriction requirements.

USING THIS INFORMATION

This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within Town of Nolensville, based on publicly available materials reviewed as of May 2026.

In addition to local fence rules, certain Tennessee laws apply statewide. See Statewide Fence Laws in Tennessee.

It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, floodplain status, historic district status, rural or agricultural context, residential building-code status, adopted-code status, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants or private agreements. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with the Zoning Administrator and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from Town of Nolensville staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.